The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Pic Rossa’.
‘Pic Rossa’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small red-purple flowers, early blooming, good floriferousness, and initially semi-compact and then an outwardly spreading plant habit.
‘Pic Rossa’ originated from a hybridization made in August 2004 in a controlled breeding environment in Gilroy, Calif. The seed was sown in February 2005. The female parent was the proprietary plant designated ‘1356-6’ (unpatented) with larger rose colored flowers and a more trailing habit.
The male parent of ‘Pic Rossa’ was a commercial variety identified as ‘MP209,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,439, with larger rose colored flowers with a deeper colored throat, and is earlier to flower.
‘Pic Rossa’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in May 2005 in Gilroy, Calif.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Pic Rossa’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in May 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif.